Grooten Singel
Concept study in preparation of the urban renewal project Grooten Singel in Turnhout.
Concept studies are projects subsidised by the Flemish Urban Policy Department. These are projects that have not yet been formulated clearly enough (e.g. in terms of project definition) and therefore require more conceptual study work. In 2024, five concept studies were granted.
Grooten Singel in Turnhout is one of the two concept studies we were asked to carry out with B-city: we were also selected as the winner for the concept study of the OLV hospital site in Oudenaarde. We are therefore proud to develop two of these five concept studies with our office. For both projects, we are joining forces with our restoration division B-juxta and landscape agency Omgeving.
The project area for this concept study comprises two large building blocks in the city centre of Turnhout, north of the Grote Markt. It contains three large complexes that are currently underused: the rundown GO! school grounds, the site of the vacant Zellien company and parts of 'Den Bond' (campus Beweging.net). The Taxandria Museum, a regional museum, is enclosed between these sites and is on a major tourist route.
The historical and future identity of the site has a broad impact on the city of Turnhout. The project can strengthen the network of historical locations in the area and improve the overall liveability of the city centre. The site will play a connecting role between the Grote Markt, the Castle of the Dukes of Brabant, the Beguinage (UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Paterspand and the Heilig Graf.
Due to the lack of an integrated approach, much potential to turn this project zone and its surroundings into a new climate-robust, socially relevant and sustainable city district may be lost. It is therefore a special challenge to define a joint project in which building is done together 'on the city' and not just 'in the city'.
The aim is to achieve an ambitious and widely supported project definition that can serve as a basis for future developments. We are striving to create both private and public added value through an inclusive participation process, complemented by design research, to arrive at a clear project vision. This will be linked to specific follow-up steps using the most appropriate planning tools to ensure a positive future for all stakeholders.